1880.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
355 
variety on the market, asking him to drop the 
“Prolific” and simply call it the “ Fay Currant,” 
the name it would in a few years receive. To this 
Mr. J. returned the sufficient answer that there 
was already a currant introduced by, but not orig¬ 
inated by Mr. F. which is locally known as the 
“ Fay,” and the addition was necessary to prevent 
confusion. “Fay’s Prolific” appeal's to possess all 
the requisites of a first class currant. As to its 
bearing qualities, Mr. Josselyn thinks that under 
the same conditions it will produce four to five 
times as much fruit as the “ Cherry.” In the spec¬ 
imens sent there might have been more fruit had 
there been room on the stem to put it. After test¬ 
ing it by the side of other varieties for the past 
eight years, Mr. Fay has adopted this as a market 
fruit. In the Buffalo market the variety has already 
obtained a reputation, and during the past season 
sold at 15 cts. per quart, when no other variety 
brought over 10 cts. Upon looking carefully at 
this variety, and after showing it to good judges, 
we think that “Fay’s Prolific” marks a good step 
forward in currant culture. To save Mr. Fay the 
trouble of correspondence, we may state that the en¬ 
tire stock of plants is in the hands of Mr. Josselyn. 
The Small-flowered Lilies, 
In describing.Kramer’s Lily last month, mention 
was made of the great advance that lily culture has 
made within the past 20 years. That species, Lilium 
Krameri , represents a class of lilies quite unknown 
to our gardens a few years ago, and though that ap¬ 
pears small by the side of the tall-growing kinds, 
we now figure one which represents a still smaller 
set of lilies, and is as small when compared with 
Kramer’s Lily as that is dwarfed by the side of the 
towering L. auratum, and the still larger kinds. 
Indeed the present species seems so far removed 
from its giant relatives that we look upon it as 
something to be nursed and petted, while in fact 
it is quite as hardy as any. The engraving gives 
Lilium callosum of the natural size, and it will bo 
seen to be even smaller than the “Small-flowered 
Lily,” Lilium parviflorum, figured a year or two 
ago. The botanical name, callosum, refers to the 
fact that the bracts, or upper leaves just below the 
flowers, are callused, or hardened, and appear of a 
different texture from the other leaves. The name 
will translate into “Callused Lily,” which, though 
not a very pleasing name, is sufficiently descriptive. 
The flower, usually firm in texture, is of a bright 
scarlet color, of a very lively tint, and the whole 
aspect of the plant is most pleasing. We have only 
tried it in out-door culture, but have no doubt that 
it would be a capital species to force in pots. The 
native country of this species is Japan, which 
has so largely enriched our gardens with lilies. 
The past summer’s experience with lilies has 
shown the great value of our native species when 
brought into cultivation. There are three species 
common throughout the United States, and these 
vary in a most surprising manner, not only in the 
size, color, and markings of the flowers, but in their 
time of blooming. Those who live in the country 
can make a most showy and interesting collection 
if they will bring into the garden the bulbs of the 
various wild lilies they may find. By giving them 
a rich soil, and leaving them undisturbed, they 
will increase in size and beauty from year to year. 
The Bag—or Basket—Worm. 
Whatever other crops may be short this year, it 
is not that of insects. In early June so many were 
the inquiries, with specimens, that we might almost 
say that the Army Worms 
marched into our office in pro¬ 
cession. In late July there is 
another procession, but it is 
now of Bag-Worms or Basket- 
Worms. These must be in un¬ 
usual abundance, to judge from 
the specimens brought and sent 
by mail, and while they seem to 
be more abundant on the Arbor- 
Yitae, than elsewhere, fruit trees 
are also troubled. We figured 
and described the insect in the 
September number of last year. 
It is a small, black, and very 
voracious caterpillar, which 
makes for itself a bag or cover¬ 
ing of bits of the leaves and 
their foot-stalks of whatever 
tree it may feed upon. This 
sack completely hides the cater¬ 
pillar, as it goes about the trees 
devouring the leaves, and is thus 
concealed from birds and other 
enemies, while it eats and grows. 
The perfect insect is a small 
moth. The female undergoes 
her changes, lays her eggs, and 
dies within the sack, which she 
has first taken care to attach 
securely to a twig, while the 
male moth quits the sack and 
flies about. In spring the eggs 
hatch, and the young insects 
will come forth, to eat, make 
other sacks, and continue the 
round, and when they are 
numerous the tree is baldy in¬ 
jured. Like other leaf eaters, 
we have no doubt that Paris 
Green or London Purple would 
destroy them, but usually they 
are not so numerous that hand¬ 
picking will not answer. The 
trouble is that it is only when 
the trees are partly stripped 
that the insects are noticed. 
At their first appearance it is 
but a small task to remove them, but when, as 
in one case, a long Arbor-Vitse hedge is “full of 
them,” the picking is no small job, but as said 
before it seems to be the best way to meet them. 
THE TOUSETOILB. 
Jggr" For other Household Items see “ Basket ” pages. 
Renovating Old Walls. 
A short time ago, we saw the walls of an old 
house that had just been renovated, and it looked 
so neat and clean, and the work was evidently so 
inexpensive, that we sought out the workman, Mr. 
H. B. Gardner, who had planned and executed the 
job, and here give his method of doing it. The 
old walls, before they were taken in hand, were in 
a very bad state, being rough with loose patches of 
white-wash, and so much cracked and discolored 
that the rooms were in a hardly habitable condition. 
The method is as follows : “ First brush down 
the walls, to remove the dust and any loose plaster 
or white-wash, then, having prepared a stencil of 
the figure desired (figure 
be easily drawn, and cut 
out of paste-board, or 
stiff paper), lay the stencil 
upon the place desired, 
and with some thick var¬ 
nish, or paint having some 
thick or gummy varnish 
mixed with it, go over the 
pattern, using a stiff 
bristle brush. This will 
leave the pattern clearly 
defined upon the wall; 
then immediately sand over the pattern, while the 
paint is still fresh, using fine, white sand (Rocka- 
way sand), well dried, and free from dirt. The 
sand will adhere to the ‘ sticky ’ paint, and give 
the pattern a rough appearance. When the paint, 
holding the sand, is dry, gently dust off all loose 
particles, and apply a coat of paint over all—rough¬ 
ened pattern, smooth wall, etc.” Figure 2 shows 
the interior of a room with the walls renovated 
and decorated in the manner above described. 
Another plan for making an old wall appear well, 
is to go all over it with strong glue-size—laying 
Fig. 2.— VIEW OF THE BOOM FINISHED. 
on the same with a common white-wash brush, and 
immediately throw sand over the whole before it 
dries ; then, in order to give it the appearance of 
stone, lay out “stone-work,” by simply scratching 
through the freshly applied rough coat, using a 
straight edge, and a sharp stick. When all is diy, 
apply paint, whitewash, or kalsomine over all.” 
Mr. Gardner recommends the following as an ex¬ 
cellent white-wash : “ Partly fill a tub with good 
unslacked lime, (say half a peck), and throw in a 
pint (dry measure) of finely pulverized glue 
(comminuted glue), then add sufficient water to 
slake the lime; the heat engendered in the slake- 
ing of the lime will melt or cook the glue, and there 
will be no such thing as ‘rubbing off’ to the 
white-wash, when spread upon the wall. The 
writer would prefer this white-wash to kalsomine, 
not only on account of economy, but it makes a 
much cleaner and also a more durable finish.” 
Tlie Carpet Beetle (also called “Buffalo 
Motli.”)— This destructive household pest works 
1 shows one which may 
Fig. 1.— THE I’ATTEKN, 
